The city's thin blue line just got a little thicker.
Six new recruits were presented with their badges during a ceremony Friday afternoon in the Barrie City Hall Rotunda.
The byword of the day was 'family' as the rotunda was filled with both friends and family as well as senior administrtion from the police family the new officers have joined.
The new constables and their hometowns are Justin Dubois (Penetanguishene), Curtis Fisher (London), Cameron Lacey (Barrie), Kefu Liu (Changsha, China), Kyle McCaw (Essa Township), and Michelle Plowman (Barrie).
Barrie police Sgt. Angela Butler still vividly remembers her own badge ceremony, which happened in 2000 in Peel Region.
"It's a very exciting moment," Butler told BarrieToday. "It's very surreal. You work so hard for so long, sometimes you think the day will never come. But when it does come, there's such a huge sense of accomplishment and pure joy."
Butler said it's also important to have your loved ones on hand.
"They've been through this in a different way, but it's just as hard on them," she said.
There were about 60 people on hand for the ceremony, which included the officers being sworn in and then presented with their badges.
Following a formal inspection of the new constables, who recently completed their basic constable training at the Ontario Police College, Police Chief Kimberley Greenwood welcomed the recruits to the Barrie Police Service.
The new constables spent 12 weeks at the Ontario Police College after being hired by Barrie police, attending classes on everything from provincial and federal statutes to police vehicle operations. After completing their college studies, the recruits spent an additional three weeks training with the Barrie police training unit.
"Each and every one of you should be very proud of what you have accomplished to reach this milestone today," Greenwood said, who called law enforcement a "very demanding but noble" profession.
"Policing is rich in history and tradition," she said.
Greenwood outlined what the new recruits can expect.
"There's not a more exciting, and sometimes frustrating and sometimes horrifying, breathtaking, heart-breaking or hilarious job in the world," she said. "Every single day will be something different: helping others, the camaraderie, the responsibility of the job will bring you rewards you couldn't do in any other career.
"Appreciate it. It's not just a job, it's a calling."
Lehman also touched on the difficulties the job can carry.
"You're all members of the police family now," he said. "It is a very difficult profession, a profession that few outside of it truly understand. It requires the support of the people who love these officers."
Greenwood also took time to recognize the friends and family in the audience who helped get the new recruits to where are today.
"Your family and friends have already helped you achieve this milestone and they will continue to be your greatest supporters throughout your careers," the chief said.
Policing can be a challenging profession and family often bears the burden of those demands, Greenwood said.
"You can relieve that burden by always doing your work safely and by being there for them as they are there for you," she said.
New recruit Cameron Lacey knows the police life through and through. His father Peter, a retired detective from the Toronto Police Service, was on hand Friday to help present his son with his badge.
"It was awesome," Peter Lacey told BarrieToday after the ceremony. "This is just an excellent ceremony."
The elder Lacey, who went through a similar ceremony in 1974, said his advice to his son would be to fall back on his training if he's ever in doubt in a situation.
Cameron Lacey said it was "fantastic" to have his dad involved.
"I was really excited that he was able to do that," Cameron told BarrieToday. "He's very proud of what he did for a living, so he was honoured that I was following in his footsteps and was able to give me my badge and pass on the torch."
Lehman told the recruits that nine out of 10 calls received by Barrie police are non-criminal in nature.
"That is because there are so many reasons why people reach out in our community for help, people who reach out on a very difficult day or circumstances," the mayor said.
